iOS 26.1 is just days away, with a launch expected early next week. Here are my three favorite new features after more than a month using the iOS 26.1 beta.
#1: Swipe to change tracks in Apple Music
Apple’s Music app is largely unchanged in iOS 26.1, but there is one hidden feature that I’ve been loving.
You can now swipe on the MiniPlayer at the bottom of the screen to quickly change tracks.
Swipe left on the MiniPlayer to move forward to the next track in your queue, or swipe right to go back to the previous track.
It’s a simple, quick gesture that is especially useful when the MiniPlayer is collapsed into its smaller form, as seen above. And the subtle tap of haptic feedback you get after swiping is a nice touch.
I’ve gotten so used to swiping on the MiniPlayer in the Music app, I now wish the same functionality was in Apple Podcasts. I’d love to quickly skip forward and back during a podcast with a swipe—maybe in iOS 26.2.
#2: AirPods Live Translation expands
AirPods Live Translation was one of the tentpole additions to iOS 26, but it was only limited to a handful of supported languages.
In iOS 26.1, the feature expands to now support:
- Chinese (Mandarin, simplified)
- Chinese (Mandarin, traditional)
- Italian
- Japanese
- Korean
I have a bunch of friends who speak Korean, so it’s pretty awesome that I can now understand their native language in a pretty seamless, effort-free way thanks to AirPods.
Like before, iOS 26.1 still requires AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2, or AirPods 4 with ANC to benefit from Live Translation—plus an AI-compatible iPhone.
#3: Liquid Glass toggle
This one is less about what it means for me personally, and more about the bigger picture.
iOS 26.1 adds a new setting under Display & Brightness where you can choose between ‘Clear’ and ‘Tinted’ versions of Liquid Glass.
The Clear option is the same design present in iOS 26. Tinted, however, increases opacity systemwide and adds more contrast, making it resemble iOS 18 a bit more.
I’m a big fan of Apple’s Liquid Glass design in iOS 26. But I know it’s not for everyone.
The new Tinted option is great for users who struggle with the current design’s readability, or simply don’t like the new look.
Apple has billions of users, and I see this new Settings toggle not as a reversal of its design convictions, but rather a way to keep Liquid Glass as-is for most users, while providing a good alternative for those who want one.
So even though I’m not using the Tinted look personally, I’m really glad it exists—both for others’ sake, but also because it means I get to keep enjoying the classic Liquid Glass design without compromises.
Bonus: Slide Over in iPadOS 26.1
It’s not technically an iOS feature, but the companion iPadOS 26.1 update brings my favorite new change of this software cycle overall: Slide Over is back.
Slide Over was a multitasking tool in iPadOS 18 that was removed from iPadOS 26. While Apple’s new app windowing system in iPadOS 26 is far more powerful than what was available previously, it couldn’t quite replicate the benefits of Slide Over.
Now, Slide Over is back in iPadOS 26.1. While it’s more limited than it was before, I use the feature all day, every day on my iPad Pro.
For a complete rundown of all the new iOS 26.1 features, here’s our full guide.
What are your favorite new iOS 26.1 features? Let us know in the comments.
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